Cleaner having steam generator

ABSTRACT

A cleaner performs water preheating for a steaming function with power from an external power source, and generates steam with power from a battery provided within the cleaner. The cleaner includes a body, a steam generator provided within the body to generate steam by changing stored water into vapor; an internal power supply unit supplying stored electricity to the steam generator; and an external power supply unit supplying electricity from an external source to the generator.

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No.10-2005-0120547, filed on Dec. 9, 2005, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cleaner, and more particularly, to asteam cleaner. Although the present invention is suitable for a widerange of applications, it is particularly suitable for cleaning bydischarging steam from a bottom surface of a cleaner body.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Generally, power consumption ranging between 500 W to 1,500 W is neededto produce a phase change from water to steam for performing a steamfunction of a cleaner. However, the cleaner should perform a vacuumsuction function of sucking particles by vacuum from a floor to becleaned as well as the steam function, requiring power consumptiongreater than that for steaming

Since adequate power could not be provided by a battery, power issupplied to conventional cleaners via a long cord wire connected to anexternal power source.

However, conventional cleaners have the following problems.

First of all, in case of cleaning by providing both the steam functionand the vacuum suction function of the cleaner, the external power isrequired and the cord of the cleaner connects the external power sourceto the cleaner. The cord can interfere with and interrupt the cleaningconducted by a user.

Secondly, the cord connected to the external power source has a limitedlength. This limits a cleaning range of the cleaner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a cleaner thatsubstantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations anddisadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner, by whichwater preheating for a steam function of the cleaner in the early stageof operation of the cleaner is achieved by receiving an external power,and by which a steaming operation is achieved by receiving power from abattery provided within the cleaner.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will beset forth in part in the description which follows and in part willbecome apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art uponexamination of the following or may be learned from practice of theinvention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may berealized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in thewritten description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with thepurpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, acleaner according to the present invention includes a body, a steamgenerator provided within the body to generate steam by changing storedwater into vapor, an internal power supply unit supplying storedelectricity to the steam generator; and an external power supply unitsupplying electricity from an external source to the generator.

Preferably, the cleaner further includes a vacuum suction unit thatsucks particles from a floor and transfers the particles to an internalstorage space, the vacuum suction unit selectively receiving electricityfrom the external power supply unit or the internal power supply unit.

More preferably, the cleaner further includes a control unit controllingconnections and power transfer between the steam generator, the vacuumsuction unit, the external power supply unit and the internal powersupply unit.

Preferably, the internal power supply unit comprises a battery. Morepreferably, the battery is detachably connected to the body. Morepreferably, the battery is rechargeable.

Preferably, the cleaner further includes a handle potion connected tothe body. More preferably, the internal power supply unit includes abattery and the battery is detachably connected to the handle portion.

Preferably, the external power supply unit includes a cord and a plug.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of controlling acleaner includes the steps of determining whether power is beingsupplied to the cleaner through an external power supply unit; if poweris supplied through the external power supply unit, operating a steamgenerator with power supplied though the external power supply unit; andif power is not supplied through the external power supply unit,operating the steam generator with power supplied from an internal powersupply unit.

Preferably, the method further includes charging the internal powersupply unit with power supplied to the cleaner through the externalpower supply unit.

Preferably, the method further includes operating a vacuum suction unitwith power supplied to the cleaner through the external power supplyunit.

Preferably, the method further includes operating a vacuum suction unitwith power supplied from the internal power supply unit.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of controlling acleaner includes the steps of preheating water within a steam generatorwith power supplied through an external power supply unit; determiningwhether power continues to be supplied through the external power supplyunit; if power continues to be supplied through the external powersupply unit, generating steam by heating the preheated water within thesteam generator with power supplied through the external power supplyunit; and if power is not being supplied through the external powersupply unit, generating steam by heating the preheated water within thesteam generator with power supplied from an internal power supply unit.

Preferably, the method further includes charging the internal powersupply unit with power supplied through the external power supply unit.

Preferably, the method further includes operating a vacuum suction unitwith power supplied through the external power supply unit.

Preferably, the method further includes operating a vacuum suction unitwith power supplied from the internal power supply unit.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description of the present invention areexemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cleaner according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an inner configuration of the cleanershown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system of the cleaner shown inFIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be usedthroughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cleaner according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of aninner configuration of the cleaner shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is ablock diagram of a control system of the cleaner shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a cleaner according to one preferredembodiment of the present invention includes a body 10 configured as acleaner head and a handle or grip portion 12 provided on one side of thebody 10 to be griped by a user in operating the cleaner. A floorcloth(not shown in the drawings) can be attached to a bottom of the body 10.

Referring to FIG. 2, a steam generator 14 is provided within the body10. A prescribed space is provided within the steam generator 14 tostore water therein. The steam generator 14 turns the water stored inthe prescribed space into steam using electric power received from apower source.

An outlet (not shown in the drawing) is provided to a lower side of thesteam generator 14 through a bottom of the body 10. The steam generatedfrom the steam generator 14 is sprayed downwardly from the bottom of thebody 10 via the outlet.

An external power supply unit 16 is provided to one side of the body 10for supplying external power, e.g., an AC power to the body 10. Theexternal power supply unit 16 includes a cord 18 having a prescribedlength. One end of the external power supply unit 16 is connected to anelectrical device within the body 10 and a plug 20 of the external powersupply unit 16 is configured to be connected to an external powersource.

An internal power supply unit 22 is provided to one end of the handle 12to supply a DC power to the body 10. The internal power supply unit 22is configured to be detachable from the handle portion 12 and mayinclude a rechargeable battery.

Since a power supplied to a building is AC power, the power supplied tothe external power supply unit 16 can be an AC power. Preferably, theinternal power supply unit 22 discharges a DC power

A vacuum suction unit 24 is also provided within the body 10. The vacuumsuction unit 24 sucks particles from a floor and transfers the suckedparticles to a storage space (not shown in the drawing) of the body 10.

The steam generator 14, the external power supply unit 16, the internalpower supply unit 22 and the vacuum suction unit 24 are connected to acontrol unit 26. The control unit 26 transfers electrical signals orpower between the steam generator 14, the external power supply unit 16,the internal power supply unit 22 and the vacuum suction unit 24.

An operation of the cleaner according to the present invention isexplained in detail as follows.

First of all, a process for preparing an operation of the cleaner iscarried out in the following manner.

The plug 20 of the external power supply unit 16 of the body 10 isconnected to an outlet (not shown in the drawings) provided in a wall.An AC power is supplied to the body 10 via the plug 20 connected to theoutlet, i.e., via the external power supply unit 16.

If preheating of the water in the steam generator is to be performed,the control unit 26 is activated to enable the AC current to betransferred to the steam generator 14 from the external power supplyunit 16. For example, a preheating button on the body 10 may be pressedto activate the preheating function. The steam generator 14 receivingthe AC current may preheat the water stored in the steam generator 14until the water turns into steam.

After completion of the preheating in the steam generator 14, thecontrol unit 26 cuts of the AC power supplied to the steam generator 14from the external power supply unit 16. The control unit may inform auser that the preheating is completed, such as by providing anindication via a panel (not shown in the drawing) provided on the body10. For instance, an indicator signal can be delivered via a display orby lighting or flickering of a display light.

The internal power supply unit 22 including the battery preferably maybe charged with the AC power supplied through the external power supplyunit 16. Alternatively, the internal power supply unit 22 may bedetached from the body 10 and then charged by a separate charging device(not shown in the drawing).

A process for performing cleaning work using the preheated cleaner isexplained as follows.

First of all, if a length of the cord 18 of the external power supplyunit 16 is not adequate for reaching a necessary cleaning range, a userseparates the plug 20 of the external power supply unit 16 from theoutlet.

After the plug 20 has been separated from the outlet, the cleaner ismoved to a place to be cleaned by the user.

After the cleaner has been moved to the place to be cleaned, a steamingfunction is activated, such as by pressing a button. The control unit 26then supplies the DC power to the steam generator 14 from the internalpower supply unit 22.

The steam generator 14 receiving the DC power turns the water into steamcompletely and discharges the steam via the outlet provided to thebottom of the body 10. The user is also able to clean the floor byactivating the vacuum suction function, such as by pressing a vacuumsuction button, while the steam function of the cleaner is working. Thevacuum suction unit 24 may also receive power from the internal powersupply unit 22.

If the length of the cord 18 of the external power supply unit 16 isadequate for the required cleaning range, the control unit 26 controlsthe AC power to be supplied to the steam generator 14 from the externalpower supply unit 16.

The steam generator 14 receiving the AC power heats the preheated wateragain until the water turns into steam completely. The steam isexternally discharged from the body 10 via the outlet provided to thebottom of the body 10. The user is also able to clean the floor to becleaned by pressing the vacuum suction button, The vacuum suction unit24 receiving power from the external power supply unit 16.

Accordingly, the present invention provides the following effects oradvantages.

First of all, water of a cleaner may be preheated by an external ACpower, while cleaning is carried out by a DC power of an internalbattery. In this manner a wireless steam cleaner can be provided.

Secondly, steam cleaning is available for an area in which external ACpower is not accessible.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the present inventionwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, itis intended that the present invention covers such modifications andvariations of the invention.

1. A cleaner comprising: a body; a steam generator provided within thebody to generate steam by changing stored water into vapor; an internalpower supply unit supplying stored electricity to the steam generator;and an external power supply unit supplying electricity from an externalsource to the generator.
 2. The cleaner of claim 1, further comprising avacuum suction unit that sucks particles from a floor and transfers theparticles to an internal storage space, the vacuum suction unitselectively receiving electricity from the external power supply unit orthe internal power supply unit.
 3. The cleaner of claim 2, furthercomprising a control unit controlling connections and power transferbetween the steam generator, the vacuum suction unit, the external powersupply unit and the internal power supply unit.
 4. The cleaner of claim1, wherein the internal power supply unit comprises a battery.
 5. Thecleaner of claim 4, wherein the battery is detachably connected to thebody.
 6. The cleaner of claim 4, wherein the battery is rechargeable. 7.The cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a handle potion connected tothe body.
 8. The cleaner of claim 7, wherein the internal power supplyunit comprises a battery and wherein the battery is detachably connectedto the handle portion.
 9. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the externalpower supply unit includes a cord and a plug.
 10. A method ofcontrolling a cleaner, comprising the steps of: determining whetherpower is being supplied to the cleaner through an external power supplyunit; if power is supplied through the external power supply unit,operating a steam generator with power supplied though the externalpower supply unit; and if power is not supplied through the externalpower supply unit, operating the steam generator with power suppliedfrom an internal power supply unit.
 11. The method of claim 10, furthercomprising charging the internal power supply unit with power suppliedto the cleaner through the external power supply unit.
 12. The method ofclaim 10, further comprising operating a vacuum suction unit with powersupplied to the cleaner through the external power supply unit.
 13. Themethod of claim 10, further comprising operating a vacuum suction unitwith power supplied from the internal power supply unit.
 14. A method ofcontrolling a cleaner, comprising the steps of: preheating water withina steam generator with power supplied through an external power supplyunit; determining whether power continues to be supplied through theexternal power supply unit; if power continues to be supplied throughthe external power supply unit, generating steam by heating thepreheated water within the steam generator with power supplied throughthe external power supply unit; and if power is not being suppliedthrough the external power supply unit, generating steam by heating thepreheated water within the steam generator with power supplied from aninternal power supply unit.
 15. The method of claim 14, furthercomprising charging the internal power supply unit with power suppliedthrough the external power supply unit.
 16. The method of claim 14,further comprising operating a vacuum suction unit with power suppliedthrough the external power supply unit.
 17. The method of claim 14,further comprising operating a vacuum suction unit with power suppliedfrom the internal power supply unit.